Teddy Bear
by Wine-into-Water
Summary: Bosco story. It's about...well you know what it's best just to read it to find out. It's hard to sum up with out giving away the story :) *STORY COMPLETE*
1. Chapter 1

Teddy Bear  
  
Chapter 1/1  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing! John Wells, NBC and the WB have all the pleasure.  
  
Authors Note: Ok this one is stretching it a bit but you know what the heck, If it sucks it sucks. (You can blame CCA for saying it was good enough to post LOL Thanks btw) Yes I stole the idea from a commercial. Rated PG 13 for the subject of child abuse and some choice words.  
  
Special Dedication to my Teddy Bear!! :) oh and CCA of course ;)  
  
Feedback: Do I even have to tell you that I love it and want to hear what you think good or bad?  
  
E-mail- Wine_into_Water@hotmail.com  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The early morning light began to shine though the open curtains directly on to the little boy laying beside me. As the sun begins to shine stronger he begins to stir, slowly waking up. He looks over to the clock. A small gasp escapes his lips as he jumps up and rushes around his room to gather his things and to get ready for school. He can't be late for school again, he still has the bruises from the last time he was.  
  
The boy goes over to his little brother sleeping in the bed on the other side of the room and wakes him up and helps him get ready also. Soon they are both out of the room running down the hallway.  
  
I relax now knowing that they will both be safe for awhile when they are at school, he can't get them there. I hear light foot steps running back down the hall and the boy is back in the room. He walks over to me and gently lifts me up and carries me to the closet. He opens the door and kisses my forehead. "Shh you stay in here so he won't find you while I'm gone." He says it with such concern and worry. He tucks me away in the corner in a small bed he has made for me out of a towel.Then he smiles at me and reassuringly says, "You'll be ok." He shuts the door and I hear him leave.  
  
I admire the concern he has for me. He is such a sweet and caring boy. If only they could see it. Even though he is concerned about me. I have no fear of being found or hurt. I won't let that happen. I may not to be able to protect him but I can always be there for him and I fully intend to do that, nothing is going to stop me.  
  
Maybe I should introduce myself. My name is Teddy B. Bear. I'm not exactly sure what the B stands for, Boscorelli maybe. I've been with Maurice since he was two, he's eight now. Such a great little boy. I was sewn and stuffed here in New York City. Was the top of my graduating teddy bear class before they sent me out to get packaged. Maybe that is why I got Maurice. See us bears aren't just picked out of a bin you know. We are all meant to be with somebody. We don't know who and they don't know it but somewhere someone or something makes sure we find each other. You know what I mean right? Come on think about it. You remember that bear you had when you were younger, the one you wouldn't go anywhere without. The one you ran too when you had a bad day or when you had a secrete to tell. You remember right? ...I thought so. You might out grow us but you never forget us.  
  
Anyway back to what I was saying. I'm Teddy B Bear, an average size brown furry teddy bear. My body has seen batter days. I lost my tail when Maurice was four due to an unpleasant incident with a car door and thanks to Maurice letting Mikey play with me a couple of times my nose is loose because he would chew on it. One of my ears is a little longer then the other because he likes to carry me by my left one and my once bright red velvet bow tie is now kind of grey and dingy looking, mostly because of a flu Maurice had shortly after his sixth birthday. But I'm proud to say that my music box is still going strong. I can play the Brahms lullaby. All you need to do is push my right paw. I guard that with my life. It helps Maurice sleep, and stops him from crying and helps the pain go away after.... Well anyway I wouldn't change a thing. The last six years may not have been a fairytale but I love Maurice very much and that's all that matters. I worry about the day when he won't need me anymore. He'll out grow me soon. He's had to grow up so much faster them most boys. Soon I'll just be left in the closet, tossed up on to the top shelf and forgotten about until one day when they do a cleaning and then out on the curb I go. I'll sure miss him. I want to see the man he'll grow up to be. I'm sure he'll be a fine one despite everything that's happened to him. He won't let it destroy him like it's going to do to Mikey. Maurice is stronger then that. He'll use it and turn it into power. Just you watch.  
  
The closet door opens and it's him. I don't know why he's home at this time of day but I'm glad Maurice has left for school.  
  
"Where's that damn bear?"  
  
"What bear?"  
  
"That stupid bear you wasted our money on for that little brat, he still carries it around like some big baby."  
  
"I don't know."  
  
He's looking right at me but he can't see me. Us bears might not be able to fight back or shield them or even rest a comforting paw on there shoulder but we can blend, camouflage. It's toy thing. So with all the power I have I blend into the background. He gives his search and slams the door shut and stomps off. If I could breath my heart would be beating a mile a minute right now.  
  
I should be getting some rest. If he's like this already and it's barely 9 AM....It's going to be a rough night.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
"I didn't do it! I swear!"  
  
I hear Maurice yelling from the living room.  
  
"Don't lie to me you little bastard!"  
  
I hear the sickening sound of flesh against flesh and Maurice begins to cry.  
  
"Shut up or I'll give you a reason to cry."  
  
Maurice tries to stop but can't...another hit. Again I hear Maurice try to muffle his crying but it isn't good enough. I listen to hear if anyone will help him but they don't, they never do. Maybe it's because they are scared what will happen to them if they try because he will get to them, once he is done with Maurice he will get to them. He always does.  
  
"You are not listening to me. You know what happens when you don't listen?" He threatens.  
  
"Please daddy no....Please I'll stop crying I promise."  
  
"It's to late!"  
  
I hear Maurice wince in pain as his father grabs his arm and drags him to the room. His small body scrapping against the floor.  
  
"NO Daddy Please!"  
  
The door swings open and bright light shines into the darkness. I see Maurice trying to pull free as he cries but it's no use he just isn't strong enough.  
  
"SHUT UP!" He screams as he yanks Maurice with his other hand and shoves the boy into the closet. The door slams shut and we hear the deafening click of the lock.  
  
"NO!" The broken little boy begins to pound on the door. Harder and harder, louder and louder but nobody comes to let him out.  
  
Finally he grows silent and huddles in the corner. Knees pulled up against his chest. Tears still falling from his eyes. He reaches up and I feel his tiny hand on my paw. He pulls me down and holds me tight. His tears soak through my fabric and blood from his lip stains the top of my head. He squeezes my paw and I begin to softly play. Soon he quits shaking, the crying has stopped and his breathing is back to normal. His hold on me loosens.  
  
His bedroom light comes on but instead of the footsteps coming closer they make there way back down the hall. It's Mikey, he always comes and puts on the light. He doesn't dare try to open the door, he knows better but still Maurice is grateful. He lays down on the cold floor his head resting against it as he stares at the little bit of light that leaks in from under the door. He pushes my paw again and holds me tightly against his chest as he falls asleep.  
  
The rest of the night we spend lying in that cold dark closet. It isn't until morning that someone opens the door. It's his mother.  
  
"Maurice honey, time to for school."  
  
She walks away and Maurice gets up. He sits me in my bed in the closet but not before giving me my kiss like always.  
  
"Thank you Teddy."  
  
He walks away and in a few minutes he's back in his room to pick up his books. I can see a faint bruise on his cheek. He has covered it with his moms make up. Can you believe it? Eight years old and he can put on cover up better them most grown woman. The cut on his lip doesn't look so bad once it is washed and he's wearing a long sleeve shirt to hide the bruises on his arms.  
  
He comes and shuts the closet door to keep me safe. Then I hear him leave.  
  
The night before is forgotten. Nobody acts any differently. Why should they? After all it was just another ordinary day in the life of little Maurice Boscorelli.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Well Maurice is 12 now and I'm still around. I thought I would be long gone by now but I should have known better. Maurice is a very passionate young boy. He holds close the people and things he cares about. I'm lucky enough to be one of those things.  
  
Not much has changed in four years. The beatings still happen and so does his time in the closet but now he doesn't give his father the pleasure of seeing him cry. He takes the beatings and never spills one tear. Not in front of him anyway but I still feel them. Like right now, he's not making a sound but I still feel them drop onto my fur as he holds me close.  
  
Tonights wasn't so bad, well not compared to some. He got away with just a slap actually it isn't the the hitting that breaks him it's this closet and the dark that is the torture. I continue to sing hoping he will relax but it's taking longer then usual. It's like he can sense something else will happen. It's scaring him. It's scaring me.  
  
Suddenly the door whips open.  
  
"You still have that damn bear?!"  
  
Maurice jumps up and backs into the corner holding me against his chest so tightly that my stuffing is almost popping out.  
  
He reaches for me and grabs my arm.  
  
"Give it here." He demands.  
  
Maurice only holds on tighter and screams, "NO!"  
  
"What did you say?"  
  
"NO!"  
  
I have never heard Maurice sound this way before. I can't really describe it. It's fear, anger, sadness and coldness all rolled into one.  
  
He pulls on my arm harder and I can feel my stitching beginning to rip but Maurice is still holding on with no intention of letting go. Suddenly his fathers big hand comes crashing into his face and he looses his grip on me during the impact. I'm snatched away from the security of the little boys arms. I want nothing more then to reach out and grab on to him but obviously I can't.  
  
He's carrying me away further and further from Maurice. I want to know if he's ok but he starts off down the stairs that go to the basement of the apartment building. I know what's down here and I know I won't see Maurice again.  
  
The man is mumbling something about me being junk and that boy of his having to grow up sooner or later. We get closer to it, the incinerator. I can feel the heat from it. We are only a couple of feet away from it now. He opens the door and holds me up by my half ripped off arm I'm dangling there not caring that in just a few seconds I'll be nothing more then melted plastic and ashes. I'm more concerned of the boy I'm leaving behind. He wont be able to take that closet without me, it will kill him. Slowly it will drain his spirit and take away every piece of life he has. His heart will turn cold and the little boy I know will disappear and fade away.  
  
He pulls back his hand to toss me in and that's when I hear it. The saddest sound I have ever heard. It's Maurice.  
  
"NOOOOO!" 


	2. Chapter 2

Teddy Bear  
  
Chapter 2/2  
  
Disclaimer: NBC, WB and John Wells own everything concerning Third Watch, I merely just borrow and play around with them. Idea for this story was borrowed from a kids help phone commercial.  
  
Authors Note: I want to thank you all so much for your kind feedback. I'm glad you liked the story. You guys are so supportive and I can't thank you enough.  
  
I was afraid I had went a little to out there with this fic. I did a rewrite on this chapter after realizing I had went to graphic and dark in some parts, there was absolutely no need for it in this fic. Maybe between two adults sure, but not when it comes to child abuse. That said, this chapter is still rated pg 13 for some bad language and for the topic of Child abuse.  
  
Special dedication goes to my Teddy Bear who I still have around and wouldn't ever dream of living without :) and to CCA for encouraging me to post this in the first place.  
  
Feedback: as always is much appreciated.  
  
E-mail: Wine_into_Water@hotmail.com  
  
Ok here we go, I hope it doesn't suck....  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Bosco walked into his apartment and threw his keys onto the table. He slipped off his shoes and loosened his tie as he walked over to the kitchen and opened up the fridge. He grabbed the bottle that was taunting him on the middle shelf. He opened it up and took a long drink and felt it burn as it slid down his throat. That was better. He made his way to his bedroom. He walked over to the night stand and turned on the lamp. Finally the darkness of the room had disappeared. He sat down on the floor his back leaning against his bed and his knees up with his arms resting on them. He took a couple more drinks before raising the bottle and saying, "Rest in hell dad."  
  
It had been along day and all he wanted to do was get lost in the bottle he held in his hand. So he didn't hear the noise of key's in the lock or the soft footsteps coming down the hall. He didn't even realize she was there until she touched his shoulder. He didn't jump or look up he just knew it was her.  
  
"Hey"  
  
"Hey" She said softly, "How are you doing?" she asked with concern pouring out with every syllable  
  
He looked at her as she sat down beside him. "I don't get it Faith, how can so many people show up to pay there last respects to a man that was worse then any body we ever put away?"  
  
Faith just shook her head, "I don't know Bos."  
  
"I mean all the people there, going on about such a great guy he was, How he'll be missed and how he was loved...I didn't love him and he wasn't a great guy and I sure the hell wont miss him, He was a sad disgusting excuse of a man that deserved to die a slow painful death all alone."  
  
Faith just sat there, she knew the day had been hard on him and that he needed to get things off of his chest. That's why she came to check up on him and why she had went to the funeral. She could care less for Bosco's father but Bosco had told her he was going to watch as the "bastard was lowered into hell" She knew that the tuff act he was putting on was just that. He had demons that needed to be worked through and the funeral would have just brought them all back.  
  
"...I was twelve almost thirteen in just a couple of months I would have been..." Bosco began out of nowhere "It had been like any other day, get home from school do my chores and wait for dad to get home so I could find out what I possibly could have done wrong now...turns out on that particular day I was a smart ass. I talked back...I can't remember what I had said. But I got the slap across the face anyway and ....and the closet..." he trailed off. Faith waited for him to continue not fully sure she was ready to hear the story.  
  
"I could take the hits, it wasn't a big deal, but that closet Faith... god I couldn't...I just couldn't. So I had gotten in the habit of hiding my teddy bear in there." He looked over at faith expecting a grin or a smart remark but all he saw was sadness in her eyes. She touched his hand to encourage him to go on. "I had him since I could remember. He'd always be in there, mostly so dad wouldn't find him and so that I'd have him when I got locked in there...He use to have this music box or something in his paw it would play that lullaby they always play. Well that night I guess I played him to long or to loud but he heard him and he opened the door....I held on to him as hard as I could but dad hit me again and I lost my grip and he took off with him."  
  
Bosco paused as that night flashed back through his mind. "I didn't have many friends and the ones I did have I couldn't tell them what was going on. I wasn't even sure that what was going on was wrong. Maybe every kid had a father like that, they just had a better way of coping with it. But my bear, I could tell him stuff, and I could hold him in the dark and he'd make it all go away. It didn't matter that outside that door ma and Mikey were getting the same thing I had just gotten. Because it went away, as soon as I heard that music it all went away and I was safe ...Ma never came and asked if I was ok, I know she couldn't have unlocked the door but she could have at least asked and Mikey, Mikey would sleep on the other side of the room just feet away in his bed and he'd leave me there on the cold floor with just a little crack of light shinning through....That bear was all I had Faith....I couldn't let him take him...so I got up and I found my bat and followed him. He had went downstairs to burn him he was about to throw him in when I swung. I hit his wrist and he dropped him. I picked him up and I ran and I kept running as fast and as far as I could but it wasn't enough. I could hear him getting closer so I dipped into the park. I hid teddy under the slide just before dad found me"...Bosco set down the bottle and pushed himself off of the floor. He walked over to the window and stared into the darkness. "I was in the hospital for three weeks after that night."  
  
Faith brushed away the tears that slowly slid down her cheeks as she stood up and walked over to the window and put her hand on Bosco's shoulder.  
  
"Ma kicked him out that time. He hated me for it. It was all my fault but he got me back the best way he could. He went back to the park and found him. He came and told me. One night after ma went home he came into the hospital room and waited until I woke up. I remember his smiling face being the first thing I saw." Faith felt Bosco shiver. "Guess what boy, that bear of yours is gone. You should have seen him burn." A tear fell down his cheek. "He shut off the light above my head and walked to the door and flicked off the main light and shut the door....the first thing I did when I got out was go to the park. I thought maybe he was lying maybe just maybe Teddy was still there...but he wasn't."  
  
Bosco's shoulders began to shake as he started to cry. He tried to pull away from Faith embarrassed that he was crying over something so stupid that happened so many years ago but Faith wrapped her arms around him and rubbed her hand down his back. "Hey it's okay Bos, It's okay."  
  
"I hate him Faith. I hate him so much I can't breath." he said as he hugged Faith back and cried into her shoulder.  
  
"I know Bos, but he can't hurt you now or anyone else."  
  
They stayed standing there by the window for a few minutes Faith still rubbing his back and trying to comfort him. After some time he pulled away.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"Hey." Faith said as she shook her head.  
  
Bosco gave her a grateful smile and walked back over to his bed and sat down, taking off his tie and undoing the top buttons on his shirt.  
  
"What did he look like?"  
  
"The bear?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Bosco smiled, "Teddy B Bear was the rattiest thing you have ever seen. All torn up and stained. He had this red bow tie and it was all grey from dirt and his brown fur was all stuck together. Mikey had almost torn off his nose..."  
  
"B?"  
  
"Boscorellie, Teddy Boscorellie Bear"  
  
Faith smile and nodded, "Of course."  
  
Bosco reached over for the bottle he left on the floor.  
  
"Bos, don't." Faith said as she took the bottle from his hand.  
  
He sighed  
  
"I'll go and get us some coffee, okay?"  
  
Faith left the room and he laid down on his bed. His eye lids started getting heavy and they began to close when he heard Faith come back into the room.  
  
"Bos?"  
  
"You staying for a bit?" It was more of a request then a question.  
  
"Of course, I'm not going anywhere." She said as she fixed his covers and sat down beside him. His eyes started to drift shut again as she began to hum the Brahms lullaby. He was sleeping in minutes.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Faith opened the door to see her elderly next door niehbour standing there with a box in her hand.  
  
"Thank you miss Tisdale. I'm sorry to have called you so late but it was really important."  
  
"Oh don't worry about it Hon, I was up watching that handsome detective Columbo. He is just so smart, gets them every time. Him and that Ben Matlock oh I just can't get enough of those two."  
  
Faith couldn't help but smile she had an apprecation for Columbo herself, "They are pretty good at what they do."  
  
"Did I pick the right box dear? There were so many to choose from."  
  
"Yes you did Miss Tisdale, Thank you." Faith reached in her pocket to get the lady some cash. The old lady put her hand up.  
  
"Don't you even think of it young lady it was my pleasure."  
  
"But Miss Tisdale it's so late at night and you had to drive all this way."  
  
"Faith" she said sternly and gave a look only a grandmother figure could pull off.  
  
Faith looked at the floor and took her hand out of her pocket, "Yes ma' am."  
  
Miss Tisdale nodded pleased with herself, "That's better, I told you it was no trouble at all."  
  
Faith looked back up and smiled.  
  
"Now you go and get some rest, you look tired. I'll see you when you get back to the apartment." the old lady said then turned and walked down the hall.  
  
Faith laughed to herself, 'What a lady' Faith shut the door, she walked back to the living room for some light. She began to open the faded red box that was tied shut with an old string. She took off the lid and a smile spread across her face. :"I knew I'd find out who you belonged to one day...Mr Teddy B Bear."  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
I was in shock just to have been moved around plus the noise of the box opening, it had been so long but to hear her say my name. My name, not teddy bear or bear but Teddy B bear. I couldn't believe it. How could she have known my name? I took a quick look around for clues but couldn't find any. We weren't back at her apartment the car ride down here clued me into that. And it looked like she had been crying. I know how to read that in a persons eyes all to well. Looks like she had went to a funeral judging from her clothes and tear stained eyes. But that still hadn't explained how she knew my name...was she a friend of Mike's? Maybe she had known Mrs. Boscorellie. I knew she couldn't be a friend of Maurice's because, well just because.  
  
I was saddened by looking at her, Faith had always been kind to me. She took good care of me when she found me a few weeks after...after Maurice had died. She took me home and patched me up. Fixed up my nose, and sewed up my arm. Even put a tail on me. She sat me on her dresser and would play me once in awhile usually when she wasn't having the best of days, just like Maurice would. Faith didn't get hit but her father was a drunk and her mother was in denial and her brother well he was just annoying. You know come to think of it, her and Maurice would have probably made good friends if they had known each other back then. She was a couple of years older then him but she had such a kind heart. Oh sure she could be pushed to the limits and snap but then in a world like the one we live in which one of us can say we don't?... She always said she was looking for my owner, but I knew it was no use. Maurice hadn't come back for me like he said he would so that meant only one thing ...that he didn't make it that night. I wasn't surprised because that night ...That was the night Maurice fought back, that was the night he got the beating of his life....  
  
I didn't know what had happened right away. It wasn't until I had fallen to the floor that I saw it. Maurice had a baseball bat and his father had been clutching the wrist of the hand he was holding me in. Maurice must have hit him with it. He grabbed me and we started to run, we ran and we ran until finally he couldn't run anymore and we ducked in behind this slide at the park. We sat there as Maurice tried to catch his breath. It wasn't long before we heard his father coming so he took me and hid me in a hole under the slide and he moved a few steps away. His father saw him and grabbed him out from underneath.  
  
"You think you can get away with that?!" He screamed.  
  
Maurice didn't move, didn't cry just stared at him, a cold icy stare, almost daring him to try something. Well he did and Maurice fell to the ground with the first blow to the face.  
  
"Get up!"  
  
He grabbed Maurice's arm so hard, like he was a rag doll or something and he just kept hitting him and kicking him. I tried to get him to see me to grab me and throw me around. I willed myself so hard to do something but I couldn't move I just stayed there like the stuffed animal I was half covered with sand.  
  
Maurice was lying on the ground broken and bruised, blood leaking from everywhere but he got up one more time and looked his father in the eye with that look telling him that he wasn't going to win this war but Maurice fell back to the ground again with one last hit.  
  
"That will teach you, you stupid useless little bastard." he spat out before he kicked sand on to Maurice and then walked away leaving him lying there, in the dark.  
  
I don't know how I managed it I really don't but I started playing and Maurice looked at me and smiled. His swollen eyes slowly shut and he went unconscious....that was the last I ever saw him.  
  
We're moving now, going down a hallway, a very well lit hallway. She makes a left turn and we enter a bedroom. It's dark except for a lamp shinning on the night stand. It's hard for me to see but it looks like there is a man laying in the bed. We get closer and I'm right there is one. It looks like he's having a bad dream, he's fussing about but Faith sits down beside him and rubs his arm and whispers that everything is fine. His movements stop and soon he's sleeping peacefully again. She would have made a good teddy bear. She rests me in front of him, I still don't know who he is but it's obvious she cares about him. Not many people would spend the night sitting beside someone comforting them if they didn't. I wish again that Maurice would have had someone like her in his life back then.  
  
It must be getting late because her eyes are starting to shut and her head keeps dropping but she refuses to fall asleep. She's determined to stay up for him, but I on the other hand am tired, remembering that night with Maurice was hard. So I think I'll shut my eyes for just a little bit...  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The early morning light begins to shine though the open curtains directly on to the man laying beside me. As the sun begins to shine stronger he begins to stir. Faith is still by his side. She looks terrible, she hasn't slept a wink all night. The man mumbles her name.  
  
"Faith?"  
  
"Yeah I'm here."  
  
He lets out a small smile as he goes to rub his eyes before he opens them. There is something familiar about this man. I can't place it but that smile...that smile. His arm brushes against me as he lifts his hands to his face. He opens his eyes to see what he bumped and....It can't be, It can't. Those eyes...It's him!! My little Maurice..It's him! I can't process what's going on. I'm staring in the eyes of my little Maurice who isn't so little anymore, but how?  
  
Bosco grabbed the bear that was laying beside him and sat up. His stomach was in knots and his heart had started beating faster. It had to have been a dream right? He looked over at Faith who had a smile stretched across her face.  
  
"Looks like I figured right."  
  
"It's him Faith! Teddy B Bear."  
  
He looked at me with confusion and joy mixed in his eyes, but I barely noticed I was still treasuring the sound of hearing him say my name after so many years.  
  
He looked back at Faith, "How?"  
  
She smiles at him and explains how she found me one day while her and her friends were in this park because they had nothing better to do. She didn't have the heart to throw me away so she took me home and fixed me up. She had went back to the park a couple of times to see if any body was missing me but nobody ever was. So she kept me on her dresser for years before finally putting me in a box in the closet only to come out when she needed to hear me.  
  
Tears are forming in his eyes as he looks back at me he blushes at his reaction to seeing a ratty stuffed up bear. Actually I'm not so ratty anymore because along with sewing me all up Faith gave me a really good wash, you can even see some of the red in my bow tie now. Faith notices his blushing but she doesn't care that he's a full grown man crying over a teddy bear, I can tell that just seeing him this happy is all she cares about.  
  
"Thank you Faith, Thank you."  
  
She gives him a warm smile that I notice she keeps just for him because in all the years I've known her now is the only time I have ever seen it. She gets up from her spot on the bed and tells him she's going to make some coffee. I figure it's probably just to give him time to collect himself so he won't have to be embarrassed in front of her.  
  
He watches as she walks out the room then looks back at me. "We lucked out finding her didn't we?" He stares at me a little longer then presses my paw. I start playing the loudest and longest I have ever played in my whole lifetime. He closes his eyes as he listens a tear slowly sliding down his cheek. "I can't believe I have you back."  
  
He looks at me for a long time. I can't read his eyes as well as I use to so I'm not exactly sure what he's thinking but I can tell he's been through a lot in his life time yet he still turned out to be the brave, strong, fearless man I knew he would be. I wish I could take all the credit for it but I'm sure the years he's known Faith has helped him a great deal but that's ok I'll share credit with her, she's taken good care of my little Maurice and me.  
  
He gets up from bed still playing me and walks over to the closet and opens the door. He pauses and smiles. "You know what? We don't need to put you in there anymore." He walks me back over and sits me gently on top of his dresser, beside...beside a picture of him and Faith ...that looks like it was taken years ago at...at the academy. I beam, my Maurice ended up being an New York City Police officer. I should have expected that.  
  
He pats me on the head on last time before leaving his room and heading down the hall. I sit there wondering what else happened that night? What happened to his father and mother and what ever happened to little Mikey? Did he turn out ok or did his father wreck him like I thought he would? Actually I have a million questions running through my little stuffed head but for right now I couldn't care less, because I'm back where I belong with Maurice and that's all that ever mattered.  
  
~The End~ 


End file.
